West Coast Horticulture, World Botanical News, and Plant Photo Safaris

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Monthly Archives: August 2014

I was lucky to photograph this Herb Bennet or Avens (Geum urbanum) with both the flower and seed head present in the back of one of our greenhouses. This ancient medicinal herb has clove scented roots and is still used in herbal medicine.

Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum) is often quoted as being named after a native American medicine man, a fact that is replicated across the internet many times, and it is a great story…. but is it true ?

Monkshood ( Aconitum napellus ) can be deadly to animals and humans. This member of the buttercup family ( Ranunculacea ) contains aconitine, which is one of the most toxic plant compounds known. ( Ref. Encyclopdedia of Herbs and Their Uses, Deni Brown ) It is often called the Queen of poisons. In fact many common garden plants can be toxic to pets and/or people. For a list of potentially harmful plants checkout RHS harmful plants.